September 15, 2022
Jim Thompson (l) and Todd Brooks of NORPAC
Capital Arguments Project Manager of the Year--Todd Brooks of NORPAC


Todd Brooks (r) receiving commemorative
plaque from Jim Thompson



We had an opportunity to gather on the evening of 6 October 2022 and award the Capital Arguments Project Manger of the Year Award to Todd Brooks of NORPAC in Longview, Washington. Todd came in on budget on a tough project that was done entirely during the Covid Era. Todd learned the meaning of Force Majeure and still pulled it in on budget. Great job, Todd!

Even though this award is labeled, "Project Manager of the Year" we don't award it every year because we receive many nominations that are just not quite up to our standards. But Todd made the grade.

Todd joins an esteemed list:

Mike Ahcan, UPM Blandin Mill, Grand Rapids, MN, for replacing the mill's sole final effluent line without (a) shutting the mill down, and (b) avoiding any spills in the Mississippi River (the line runs along the bank of the river about 3 feet from the water's edge). (2008)
 
Dean Abrams, Corrugated Services, Forney, Texas (now Smurfit Kappa) for replacing the secondary headbox on the liner machine in 24 hours paper to paper. (2009)
 
Ed Kersery, Pratt, Shreveport, for building a greenfield mill in a record time and on budget. (2011)
 
Mac Switkowski, Pratt, Valparaiso, for being forced to change machine vendors (the selected vendor went bankrupt) mid project and still bringing it in on time and on budget. (2016) 

We are grateful to Andritz and JH Kelly Construction for underwriting this year's award and dinner.


What is your opinion? Drop me a line at jim.thompson@ipulpmedia.com. I would like to hear from you.


 
Young Engineering Manager of the Year, call for nominations

We are looking for an individual who has done an extraordinary project, one that almost defies belief. Its extraordinary features can be schedule, technology, cost or all three. There is an age limit on the manager eligible for this award: they must be under 35 years old when they completed the project.
 
We have often gotten nominees that go something like this, "I nominate Joe because he has done a great job of running our engineering department for the last fifteen years." Quite frankly, we are not interested in such nominees.
 
However, if you know someone who has led a very exceptional project in the recent past (the last two or three years) and meets our age requirement, we want to know about it. We want to honor them and hold them up as an example for Engineering Managers in every pulp and paper mill around the world.
 
Just send your nomination, with as much details as you can provide, to jim.thompson@ipulpmedia.com. We will seriously consider it.
Current Patent Activity is available here.


Please write when we tickle your brain cells! Email jthompson@taii.com